The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1887-06-10
Animals Which Love Music.

iSir John Hawking, in his History of
Mgisic, quotes an author who speaks of a
liPn he had seen in London, who would
forsake his food TO listen to tune. Bears,
top, have from the earliest times been
taught TO dance to the sound of music.
MONKEYS have keen ear for rhythm,
aud have been taught to dance to music
on the tight-rope. Bourdelot speaks OF
a monkey, whom all Paris at one time
went TO see, who, dressed as woman,
danced minuet in cadence with his
master.
The educated horse OF the circus owes
a great deal to the influence of music; he
marches, trots, gallops, advances, retires,
and even dances TO the live strains of the
orchestra. He can also be taught to- per
form music on his own account, and 10
beat kettledrum with his fore feet.
When COWS arc sullIy milkmaids in the
highlands of Scotland often sing to them
to restore them to good humor. In France
the oxen that work in the fields are reg
ularly sung 20 as an encouragement to
exertion, and no peasant has the slightest
doubt that the animals listen to him with
pleasure
The cheering influence of music is seen
in the case Of camels. During the long
and painful marches the conductors Of 4
caravan often comfort their camels by
playing on instruments The music has
such an effect that, however fatigued they
may be by their heavy loads. the animals
step out with renewed vigor.
Elephants have good ears, and may be
trained as musical performers. Quite re-
Gently a small elephant, with a surprising
amount of cultivated intelligence, was ex-
hibited in London. Among many feats
it played a whole band of music at once
--.lGse were bells on its head, and it used
its trunk and forefeet to play other in
struments.
Recognizing the love of horses for
music, wealthy enthusiast in the latter
part of the seventeenth century had reg
ular concerts provided for the benefit Of
his stud. Jacques Bonnet when in Hol-
land in 1858 visited the stable and saw
there the raised orchestra from which
once week selection of favorite airs
was played to cheer up the spirits of the
listening animals
Deers are delighted with the sound of
music. Playford, in his Introduction
to Music, says: Myself, as l travelled
some years since, near Royston, met a
herd of stays, about twenty, upon the
road, following a bagpipe and violin.
When the music played they went for
ward; when it ceased they stood still, and
in this manner were brought up out Of
Yorkshire to Hampton Court
On sheep and cattle, music, both vocal
and instrumental, has highly beneficial
effect. There is poetic saying among
the Arabs that the song of the shepherd
fattens the sheep more than the richest
pasture Of the plains, and the saying rests,
no doubt, on n foundation of fact. East
ern shepherds are in the habit of singing
and piping to quicken the action of the
flocks under their charge.
A lamb which had discriminating ear
is mentioned by Mr.. J. G. Wood. 1t de-
lighted in brisk and lively tunes, such as
arc set to polkas and quadrilles, but alb
horred all slow and solemn composition.
This frivolous lamb chad the deepest de-
testation of the national anthem, and
would set up such continuous baa-baa
as soon as its ears were struck with the
unwelcome sounds that the musician was
ain to close the performance, being 81
enced by mirth if not by pity